I’ll be honest – I am a total perfectionist and have struggled with this, well, imperfection my entire life.  Everything has to be done just right and anything less than ideal is unacceptable.  Does this story sound familiar to anyone?  You know…you’re your own worst critic and mistakes automatically equate to some version of the unthinkable – “failure?”
While this internal battle may be a lifelong challenge for some of us, there is something else I have come to realize that you may also resonate with.  When all is said and done, beneath the layers of emotion, insecurity and life-shaping experience, I am a certifiable….goofball.  (Yes, that is the technical term.)  Somewhere beneath my futile pursuit of perfection is a silly, goofy person who makes bad jokes, loves to laugh and longs to take herself less seriously. 
When I think about the leaders in my life who have impacted me the most, they are just that – individuals who know how to not take themselves so seriously.  They lead by example and are concerned with doing their best, not the best.  In a sense, they are people who know they are perfectly human.  They do not pretend to have it all figured out, and ultimately cultivate deeper human relationships because of this.
It’s difficult to name a specific person whom we all may see this way, but we each have role models like this in our lives…  Those positive individuals whom people are naturally drawn to?  They seem to exude a personal confidence in themselves, but never pride.  They enjoy self-deprecating humor and are not afraid of mistakes, because it means they are learning and venturing into something new.  And even more, they have a genuine interest in others…
They remind me of what Ken Blanchard, world-renowned leadership author and speaker, always says: “People with humility don’t think less of themselves, they just think about themselves less.”  In essence, these leaders don’t sweat the small stuff by taking the focus off of themselves.  They have an incredible way of identifying with people – simply by being real, goofiness and all.  They are refreshingly authentic. 
“Life is a very special occasion,” as Blanchard also says, so let’s delight in our relationships, remember what is important and not take ourselves so seriously. 
It’s time to embrace your inner-goofball.